National Services provided by Examinations Department are of High Standard and Corporate

The Department of Examinations within the Ministry for Education and Employment has just become a member of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA). This means that the national services offered by the Examinations Department have been recognised as being of a high standard and corporate, particularly in the administration of public and national examinations. The affiliation of the Examinations Department with this Association must be renewed on an annual basis, to ensure that the highest national standards of practice in educational assessment at different levels and contexts continue to be maintained.

The IAEA is an international association with an aim of promoting work in educational assessment at an international level. It was formed after a conference in New Jersey, USA, in 1974. At that time, there were about 35 experts in this field representing 18 countries worldwide. Participants agreed to set up an organisation with the aim of working towards further collaboration between assessment agencies around the world to bring about best practices and to develop corporate projects between them. The Association was officially founded in 1975.

The International Association for Educational Assessment believes that international cooperation in educational research and assessment is essential if education is to be improved and its benefits extended to reach more people. It encourages the development of closer links between people, experts, agencies and institutions that influence and serve educational systems and processes, so that people from different countries learn from one another, help one another, and do so with respect to each other’s cultural autonomy.

Eventually, the Association developed its statutes and regulations and since then it has continued to grow and develop, now with around 160 members amongst them individual experts as well as primary and affiliate organisations. The Executive Committee is made up of officials from different countries and continents.